


life is hard and dark and heavy (but it don't have to feel so empty)

by xavierurban



Series: bless the broken road [2]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Hood and the Outlaws (Comics), Red Hood/Arsenal (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Gen, Good Brother Dick Grayson, Instagram, M/M, Protective Dick Grayson, batfam shenanigans, dick really doesn't care for talia, everyone loves trolling dick, he's not as subtle about it as he thinks, jason is the smallest brother and he's mad about it, jason todd deserves nice things, no capes AU, roy harper deserves nice things
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-11
Updated: 2019-04-11
Packaged: 2020-01-11 06:48:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18425100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xavierurban/pseuds/xavierurban
Summary: roy returns home from his was-that-a-date? with jay and makes a startling discovery about who, exactly, that is. sequel to he didn’t have time.





	life is hard and dark and heavy (but it don't have to feel so empty)

**Author's Note:**

> this is an immediate sequel to he didn’t have time, and includes a small attempt at blending in social media usage (all in writing, no images), so i hope that doesn’t put anyone off too much. it’s not my usual, but i couldn’t get it out of my head.
> 
> title from ain’t it something by steve grand, which has no real relevance except i wanted to continue the country theme.

It's close to midnight by the time Roy gets home. He and Jay had talked for hours, right up until the café closed, and then hung around the parking lot for another fifteen minutes just trying to make a goodbye stick. He’d stopped for gas on the way home, and throws a load of laundry in the wash with a time delay for the early morning, but resolves to deal with everything else after he gets some sleep. Ollie isn’t bringing Lian back until sometime around dinnertime, so he should manage to skate by so long as he wakes up at a reasonable time. And he will, Roy knows, because he can’t remember the last time he slept past seven am, even when he was down for the count with the flu a year ago. Still, he sets an alarm on his phone after stripping down to his boxers and crawling into his bed with a sigh.  
  
He’s exhausted, but still there’s something about him that feels lighter, somehow, and Roy tells himself not to think about what that means for him. Not that that works, really, because he tosses and turns for a good ten minutes, trying not to picture the way Jay’s eyes had lit up when discussing his studies at Oxford. He thinks, maybe, it’s the same look he’d gotten in his own eyes when he’d talked about Lian - and if it was, did Jay find it as attractive in his as he did in Jay’s?  
  
With a huff, Roy snaps his eyes open and reaches for his phone, figuring he can distract himself by catching up online until fatigue takes over. Roy finds himself opening up instagram - he doesn’t have the energy for the inevitable drama Facebook always seems to contain - and scrolls absently until he notices the notification in the corner. Curiously, he clicks on it, and smiles when he realizes it’s an alert that his new contact matches a profile. He wonders if it would be weird to follow Jay’s account, worries if the other man might think him some kind of stalker. But would he have given Roy his number if he didn’t want him to have access to him? He hesitates before clicking on the username - jaybird, and that’s so fucking precious that Roy can’t help but smile - and figures he can just take a look around if it’s public and put off actually following him for another time, but he’s instantly drawn to the little Verified checkmark at the top of the profile, and the words underneath it.  
  
_followed by_ ** _brucewayneofficial_** _,_ ** _lastflyinggrayson_** _,_ ** _timdrakewayne_** _+_ ** _10_** _others  
  
_Immediately, his gaze flies back up to the top of his profile, but, no, there’s no name there, not a real one, anyway, just _damned prince of gotham_ , but Roy’s eyes widen in realization nonetheless, because the followers they have in common can’t be a coincidence - and everyone knows Bruce Wayne has been called the uncrowned prince of Gotham for years. A quick scroll through the first few photos on the account confirms it, and, somewhere beneath the shock, a part of Roy feels vindicated for having found Jay familiar. It also explains Jay’s confusion when Roy didn’t recognize who he was.  
  
No, not Jay. Jason. _Jason al Ghul-Wayne_ , to be exact, because there’s no way that’s not who he is. Not when there’s a photo of Wayne Manor captioned _who says you can’t go home?_ and a picture of him with Damian al Ghul-Wayne with a caption lamenting _the baby? grow taller than me? THIS DISRESPECT._ both staring back at him from his phone.  
  
And, God, Roy is hit with the sudden realization that _he was contemplating dating Dick’s little brother_ , and that might just be a can of worms that he doesn’t want to open. The Wayne family is a shit show on the best of days, and he’s not sure he wants to involve himself or Lian in that. The realization hurts, just a little, and Roy sighs. So much for that.  
  
Still… If he’s Dick’s brother, they’re bound to run into each other from time to time, and, hey, he’d call himself friendly with most of Dick’s siblings. There’s no harm in being Jason’s _friend_ , right?  
  
With that, he scrolls back up to the top of the page, intending to click the follow button and leave it at that for the night, but the first photo on the profile catches his attention now that there aren’t revelations clouding his mind. It’s a simple photo, just two coffee cups on a plain, wooden table top, but-  
  
-but that’s the logo of the coffee shop they’d gone to earlier that night. Jay must have taken it when Roy went to the washroom. Curiously, Roy clicks on it and feels his eyebrows raise at the caption.  
  
_do you believe in destiny? #gotham #whatconstitutesacoffeedatethesedays #imissrealtea #mumplssendmesome  
  
_That’s… not even in the same galaxy as subtle, and Roy feels his cheeks darken as his resolve crumbles. There’s no way he can try to be just friends with Jason, not if he’s going to be this open with his own thoughts on the matter.  
  
Fuck.  
  
How did he get himself into this?  
  
Skimming the comments on the photo, Roy can’t help but laugh and settle in for a good time. God, the Waynes always know how to deliver.  
  
**lastflyinggrayson:** JASON PETER WAYNE  
**lastflyinggrayson:** HOW COULD YOU NOT TELL ME YOU HAD A DATE?  
**timdrakewayne:** jason...  
**jaybird:** @timdrakewayne timothy…  
**timdrakewayne:** just be careful, ok?  
**jaybird:** @timdrakewayne ew don’t do that  
**stilltheheir:** @lastflyinggrayson Don’t you think you’re forgetting something?  
**lastflyinggrayson:** @stilltheheir i think i would remember my BABY BROTHER telling me he has a date!!??  
**lastflyinggrayson:** @jaybird i can see you answering timmy why are you ignoring me  
**lastflyinggrayson:** DID YOU REALLY JUST SEND ME TO VOICEMAIL  
**stilltheheir:** @lastflyinggrayson I was actually referring to your omission of Jason’s full surname.  
**jaybird:** @stilltheheir you tell him, baby brat  
**stilltheheir:** @jaybird I am not a baby.  
**timdrakewayne:** @stilltheheir you didn’t deny the brat part…  
**stilltheheir:** @timdrakewayne I loathe you both with all that I am.  
**jaybird:** @stilltheheir that's a lot more than it used to be. stop fucking growing.  
**jaybird:** @stilltheheir but i love you too, habibi :*  
  
Roy is practically itching to say something, can’t resist the urge to give into the time honoured tradition of trolling the hell out of Dick Grayson-Wayne, and, he hopes, Jay might appreciate that just enough to not be so freaked out that Roy has been instastalking him. The comment he decides on is innocent enough, but with just the right amount of implication if anyone wanted to read into it, and Roy smirks to himself as he sends it.  
  
It doesn’t take long for Dick to respond.  
  
**yaboyroy:** thanks again for your help today, jay.  
**lastflyinggrayson:** @yaboyroy ????????????????????????  
**lastflyinggrayson:** @yaboyroy i didn’t know you two knew each other  
**jaybird:** @yaboyroy anytime, man. it was my pleasure.  
**yaboyroy:** @lastflyinggrayson i didn’t know you were keeping tabs on who i know :p  
**timdrakewayne:** oh my god…  
**timdrakewayne:** your date was with ROY?  
**lastflyinggrayson:** @timdrakewayne WAIT WHAT  
**taliaalghul:** I will have a delivery arranged so long as you share with your brother.  
**jaybird:** @timdrakewayne you guys know each other?  
**stilltheheir:** You can do much better, brother.  
**stilltheheir:** @taliaalghul Thank you, Mother.  
**lastflyinggrayson:** SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING  
**jaybird:** @taliaalghul love you, miss you, thank you  
**taliaalghul:** @jaybird @stilltheheir You’re welcome, boys.  
  
Roy wishes he could say he’s surprised when his phone starts ringing a few minutes later. He considers ignoring the call, but, in the end, he picks up.  
  
“Hey, Dickhead,” he greets, before promptly pulling the phone away from his ear when Dick lets out an ungodly screech, “Jesus _Christ_ , Dick.”  
  
“Did you,” Dick asks, his voice suddenly low, and a bit cold, and Roy feels a chill run down his spine, “Or did you not go on a date with my little brother?”  
  
Roy’s brain stalls out for a long moment, too caught up on the frigid tone of voice Dick is addressing him with, before he blurts out, “I didn’t know he was your brother!” Which, in hindsight, shouldn’t have been his answer. Definitely should have gone with _it wasn’t a date._ Definitely.  
  
Dick is silent for a long moment, before he starts cackling.  
  
“Oh my God, this is amazing,” Dick manages to gasp, and Roy is just starting to worry that Dick has lost his damn mind when he manages to calm himself, “Oh my God, Roy, you sounded _terrified_. C’mon, save that for Bruce.” He says it so cheerfully, but all Roy feels is sick.  
  
Asking Bruce Wayne’s permission to date one of his children is _not_ something he wants to think about. Or do. Ever.  
  
“Roy?” Dick calls when he doesn’t answer, and he shakes himself, makes a noise to confirm he’s still there, and Dick sighs, his voice softer when he speaks again, “I think it’s great, Roy. You know I’ve been telling you for ages that it’s time to get back out there.”  
  
“It’s been five years, Dick,” he responds, suddenly exhausted. He brings his hand up to his face, pinches at the bridge of his nose with his fingers, “I… I’d like to see Jay again, but if this goes wrong…”  
  
“Then you’ll still be one of my best friends,” Dick says firmly, then adds, “Unless you’ve really, really fucked up, and I can’t see it going down like that, Roy.” He hesitates, then adds, “But… Jason _is_ my little brother, and I do have to say this, sorry.” The funny thing is, he really does sound sorry, but Roy doesn’t think he should. He’s just looking out for someone he cares about.  
  
“Jason… has been through a lot,” Dick finally continues, and there's something dark in his voice, “And if you hurt him - _seriously_ hurt him, Roy, I’m not talking about going on a few dates and figuring out it won’t work - if you hurt him, I will absolutely ruin you. You don’t get to fuck up my brother without consequences, no matter how much I love you.”  
  
Roy stays quiet for a long while after that, letting Dick’s words really sink in. He wonders what Dick meant about Jason having been through a lot, wonders if it was why the other man had seemed so shy, at first, when every story he’s ever heard has painted Jason as brash and confident. Wonders if, whatever it is, is what drove him home to Gotham after all these years. He wonders how much he’d find out if he went looking online, and then wonders if he should.  
  
“Understood,” he says a while later, and Dick hums on the other line.  
  
“You know,” he says, “I’m planning to give him a similar speech on your behalf. If he picks up his fucking phone next time.” The last part is grumbled, and Roy can’t help but laugh.  
  
“Oh, Dickie,” Roy sing-songs, “Are you prepared for the tag-teaming you’re in for if this works out?”  
  
There’s a long groan from the other end, and Roy laughs again.  
  
“Goodnight, Dick,” he says when he calms down, and Dick hums again.  
  
“Night, Roy,” he says before hanging up.  
  
Roy’s going to set his phone down and turn over to sleep, but the blinking light that indicates a notification alerts him and he opens the screen again curiously.  
  
There are five missed text messages, all from Jay, and his brow furrows as he opens the thread.  
  
_soooo how do you know dick and tim?  
__roy?  
__fuck. you’re on the phone with dick, aren’t you?  
__oh god i’m so sorry  
__i’m going to strangle him jfc  
  
_Roy grins to himself, and types out a quick response before rolling over to go to sleep. He’s got a busy day ahead of him, after all.  
  
_it’s ok, i’m a dick grayson-wayne veteran, he can’t scare me off, and i kinda like him still breathing. take me out for coffee again sometime and i’ll tell you how we met. sweet dreams, jaybird._

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading!
> 
> the next update probably won't come quite as quickly, but i do have a few wips in progress, particularly a backstory piece about how each of bruce's kids came into his life. hopefully that one will be next, since i've got three/six finished already! there is definitely more jayroy in the future, too, and lian will finally make a real appearance soon!


End file.
